Hamilton faces FIA sanction over Qatar Grand Prix incident

British racing driver Lewis Hamilton could be sanctioned from Formula One by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) the governing body of motorsport confirmed they are ‘revisiting’ an incident where Hamilton crossed the track at the Qatar Grand Prix.

The 38-year-old Mercedes driver collided with teammate George Russell at the start of the race as he attempted to overtake the Mercedes driver and race leader Max Verstappen.

The seven-time world champion ignored safety protocols and crossed the track while the race was under the Safety Car. Stewards reprimanded him before receiving a big €50,000 (£43,400) fine for his troubles.

Half of that fine is suspended on the condition that there are no further safety breaches for the rest of the year but the FIA have expressed their concerns over the example being set.

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An FIA spokesperson said: “The FIA is revisiting the incident in which Lewis Hamilton crossed a live track during the Qatar Grand Prix.

“During the hearing, the driver of Car 44 was very apologetic and realised that the situation could have been very dangerous for him as well as the drivers approaching.

“The Stewards reinforced the fact that crossing a live track can cause extremely dangerous situations and the drivers have to be very cautious about it.

“In addition to imposing a significant fine, the Stewards also reprimand the driver bearing in mind that receiving a certain number of reprimands during a season will draw a significant driving penalty in accordance with Article 18.2 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.”

“The FIA notes that Lewis was apologetic during the subsequent Stewards hearing into the incident and acknowledged that the crossing was a serious safety breach. However, in view of his role model status, the FIA is concerned about the impression his actions may have created on younger drivers.”

The safety protocols have been in place for a number of years with F1 bosses eager for drivers to stay off the track. It comes after a karting driver suffered leg injuries last week, after being struck by a rival.

Hamilton accepted responsibility for the crash, admitting after the race: “I have watched the replay and it was 100 per cent my fault. It was not our plan to come together.”